City to have 3 street food hubs

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 16

The holy city, known for its gastronomy, may soon get clean street food hubs as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is considering three such sites here. Health officials said a survey team had already approved the clean street food hub near Galiara, Golden Temple.

“The other sites are at Ranjit Avenue and Lawrence Road,” said District Health Officer Dr Lakhbir Singh Bhagowalia. A food street, being run from a private property, is already functional at the Lawrence road.

“It can be approved if vendors promise to abide by the guidelines and the owner gives consent,” said the official. The vendors in food streets will be given grading from one star to five depending on the level of cleanliness, hygiene and other safety parameters.

Bhagowalia said the food street vendors would also be judged on parameters of personal hygiene of cooks, methods of garbage disposal, layout plan and demarcation of cooking area, availability of clean water, working street lights, pest control and other things.

Dr Bhagowalia said that the FSSAI had in September last year declared the Kankaria Lake area in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, as the country’s first clean street food hub. “The city has a very old street food culture where many kinds of delicacies are served. Apart from city residents, international tourists relish dishes here. But customers always have a doubt regarding hygiene,” he said, adding that, if approved, the vendors would also have to display the list of ingredients being used in their dishes.

If implemented, the plan would not only clear doubts of customers, who sometimes are wary of eating at these places due to food safety concerns, but also help street food vendors as grading by FSSAI would boost their businesses.